Sven Lyder Kahrs - Biography

Sven Lyder Kahrs (1959, Bergen, Norway) studied privately with Finn Mortensen parallel to his studies at the Conservatory in Oslo under Kolbjørn Ofstad. From 1984-1989 he studied privately with Brian Ferneyhough and Emmanuel Nunes and attended advanced courses at IRCAM and Royaumont. His music has been performed at the Ultima, Donaueschingen, Tremplin, (EIC/Ircam) Magma, Music Factory, Borealis, Ilios, and Autunnale festivals, at Cutting Edge London, the World New Music Days, the Nordic Music Days; and at Royaumont, Delmenhorst Neue Musik Tage, Roaring Hooves, Radio France, You and New Chicago, de Ijsbreker, Tou brewery, Unesco Paris, and Troldhaugen. Performers of Kahrs’ music have included Ensemble Recherche, Ensemble Ernst, Pierre Strauch, Anton Lukoszevieze, the Arditti, Ametri and Cikada quartets, Dimitri Vassilakis, Harry Spaarnay, Asamisimasa, Nordic Voices, Trio Nobis, David Alberman, Ami Flammer, Christoph Hampe, the Helge Slaatto/Frank Reinecke and the Annar Follesø/Helge Kjekshus duos, Sigyn Fossnes, Rolf Steinar Borch, Anders Førisdal, Kari Rønnekleiv, Anne-Lise Berntsen, Ellen Aagaard, Hans Josef Groh, Victoria Johnson, and Ole-Henrik Moe and more. Sven Lyder Kahrs has been involved in a number of fine arts collaboration projects across Europe. He is presently working on commissions from Ensemble Recherche, Ensemble Ernst, Gaute Vikdal, Asamisimasa, Apartment House, the Norwegian Youth Symphony Orchestra (NUSO) and Elision.

His string quartet 'Ein Hauch um nichts' was commissioned by and premiered at the Ultima Festival 2000 by the Arditti Quartet; CD available. (Aurora ACD5035) The work was awarded the Edvard price 2001. He also received the prestigious Arne Nordheim composer’s prize 2005.